Game-board or puzzle



Patented Apr. 25, I899.

.& p Z U M P m H ED m 0 .8 E M WA G 6 7 3 2 5 0 N (Application filed Jam 6, 1809.)

(No Model.)

lNVENTOR UGfirullaJMA 1 ATTORNEY.

UNiTEn STATES PATENT @FFIQE.

WILLIAM C. BREITENBACH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAME-BOARD OR PUZZLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 623,876, dated April 25, 1899.

Application filed January 6, 1899. Serial No. 701,382. No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. BREITEN- BAOH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game-Boards or Puzzles; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is aplan view of the board. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line a: m, Fig. 1.

This invention relates to game-boards or puzzles, and has for its object the provision of a game or puzzle of novel and entertaining character; and to this end the invention consists in a game-board provided with a plurality of pockets, recesses, or apertures arranged in a novel and peculiar manner, to-

gether with a set of movable objects designed.

to be placed in said pockets and manipulated to produce a certain result, all as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates my improved gameboard, which may be formed of cardboard or any other material suitable for the purpose. In the drawings the board is shown as being square; but it may be of any desired form in outline. Formed therein are a series of pockets, recesses, or apertures B, seventeen in number, so disposed as to form two concentric parallelograms, surrounding a central pocket, recess, or aperture. One of these pockets, recesses, or apertures is formed at each angle of each parallelogram and at the middlepoint of each side of each parallelogram, so that each pocket of the inner parallelogram corresponds in position with a pocket of the outer parallelogram, each pocket being on a radial line drawn from the central pocket. In the drawings I have shown the parallelograms as being in the form of rhomboids; but they may be obviously rectangles or squares. The several pockets are preferably connected by lines C, which indicate the paths of movement of the objects hereinafter described. I have shown these lines as marking the outer and inner parallelograms and the radial lines of the pockets. I also provide a series of movable objects D, preferably marbles, sixteen in number, one of which is designed to be placed in each of said pockets, with the exception of the central pocket, whichisleft vacant. One of these marbles, as No. 1, is preferably distinguished from the others by being different in size, shape, or color, or by some distinguishing mark of anydesired character. This marble is placed in the pocket also numbered 1. The pockets being thus filled, the object of the game or puzzle is to jump the marbles in such manner along the lines 0 (removing the marble jumped) as to leave on the board only the marble No. 1 in the central pocket. For the purpose of showing how this may be done I have numbered the pockets from 1 to 17 and will state the proper movements as follows: first move. from No. 15 to No. 9, removing marble in No.12; second move, from No. 6 to No. 12, removing marble in No. 9; third move, from N0. 4 to No. 6, removing marble in No. 5; fourth move, from No. 12 to No. 4, removing marble in No. 8; fifth move, from No. 17 to No. 9, removing marble in No. 14:; sixth move, from No. 13 to No. 5, removing marble in No. 9; seventh move, from No. 3 to No. 9, removing marble in N0. (3; eighth move, from No. 4 to No. 14, removing marble in No. 9; ninth move, from No. 14 to No. (3, removing marble in No. 10; tenth move, from No. 6 to No. 4, removing marble in No. 5.

Thus far the moves must be made in a fixed manner to get this result-viz., pockets Nos. 15, 17, and 3 vacant, and a marble in pocket N0. 4Eand the further moves may then be as follows: eleventh move, from No. 1 to No. 15, removing marble in No. 7; twelfth move, from No.15 to No. 17, removing marble in No. 16; thirteenth move, from No. 17 to No. 3, removing marble in No. 11; fourteenth move, from No. 3 to No. 1, removing marble in No. 2; fifteenth move, from No. lto No. 9, removing marble in No. 4. To arrive at this solution without aid requires some considerable trial and study on the part of the player. In practice the boards may be conveniently made from stiff cardboard having downwardly turned or flanged edges to, by which they are supported, the pockets being in the form of apertures which are of sufiicient diameter to receive nearly one-half the marbles, whereby the latter are prevented from easily rolling out of place.

I am aware of the patent to Law,No. 463325, of November 17,1891, also of the fact that various game-boards have been provided having pockets or holes arranged in different ways for the reception of marbles or pegs, and I make no broad claim to a game-board of this character.

The essence of the present invention consists in a board having the described number (seventeen) of pockets, apertures, or recesses arranged 011 lines radiating from one of said pockets at the center of the board and also on the sides of two concentric parallelograms, whereby movement of the marbles is provided for both radially and along the sides of the parallelograms. \Vithout this double movement the puzzle cannot be solved, and if a different number ofpockets be employed or the arrangement thereof be changed from that described the identity of the puzzle is lost and an entirely different combination of moves is necessary for its solution. Such changes may also make the puzzle unsolvable, or, on the other hand, very much easier of solution.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A game or puzzle, consisting of a board, having therein a series of pockets, apertures, or recesses, seventeen in number, and arranged ou radial lines in the form of two concentric parallelograms, surrounding a central pocket, aperture, or recess, each parallell ogram having eight of said pockets, one at each angle, and one at the middle point of each of its sides, together with a series of movable objects, one less in number than the number of the pockets, and designed to be placed in said pockets and manipulated substantially as described.

2. A game or puzzle, consisting of aboard, having therein a series of pockets, apertures, or recesses, seventeen in number, and arranged on radial lines in the form of two concentric parallelograms, surrounding a central pocket, aperture or recess, each parallelogram having eight of said pockets, one at each angle, and one at the middle point of each of its sides, together with a series of movable objects, one less in number than the number of the pockets, and designed to be placed in said pockets, one of said marbles being distinguished from the others,said marbles being manipulated substantially as described.

3. The herein-described game orpuzzle,consisting of a board made of cardboard and provided with apertures therethrough which form pockets, together with a number of marbles adapted to seat in said pockets, the marbles and pockets being of such relative sizes that the latter will receive the former to the extent of nearly one-half their diameter, whereby they are prevented from easily rolling out of place, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I ai'lix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM C. BREITENBACH.

Witnesses GEO. II. PARMELEE, GEORGE M. ANDERSON. 

